THE EVENING NEWS

GEORGE Q. CANNON, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.

Friday, . . November 26, 1869.

"MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE."

IN the delivery of the lecture "Six Months in Utah," by Mrs. St. Clair, on Tuesday last at the Theatre, there was an allusion made by the lecturess to what is known as the "Mountain meadow Massacre." There was nothing in her treatment of this point in her lecture that was offensive to her audience; but she evidently was unfamiliar with the facts, and as a general misapprehension exists abroad in relation to them, simple justice demands that they be correctly stated. Our silence upon this subject is frequently construed as an evidence of the inability of the people of this Territory to defend themselves against the cruel charges which have been made against them to connection with that tragedy.

. . .

From all that is known respecting the company of Arkansas emigrants, who were killed at Mountain Meadows, they conducted themselves in a hostile manner towards the Indians wherever they saw them. At Corn Creek, Millard Co., President George A. Smith, who was coming from a visit to the southern settlements in company with several friends, found a company of emigrants camped; they had about thirty wagons and a considerable herd of stock. He and his party crossed the creek and camped about forty yards from them. Three of the company visited his camp, and one was introduced as the Captain of the company. After inquiring where President Smith and party were from, he asked if there was any danger to be feared from the Indians who were camped near by. He was told that if his company had committed no outrage upon the Indians, there was no danger. . . .

The Indians ate the ox and ten of their number died. It had, without doubt, been poisoned. A portion of these Indians were Pahvantes and others were Pah-Utes, who lived in the vicinity of the Mountain Meadows, and were on a visit to the Pahvantes. There is reason to believe that this company poisoned the spring also, for thirty head of cattle which drank of its waters died with every symptom of poisoning. . . .

There has never been a time when President Young and the people have not been ready to give every aid in their power to have this occurrence rigidly examined.